Network service system and point commuting system

ABSTRACT

A network service system for allowing points related to one service to be transferred to points related to another service is provided. Point information is stored in association with a user ID in databases ( 18, 20 ). When a game service is provided to a user, a game server ( 16 ) updates the point information stored in the database ( 20 ) in association with the user ID for that user to consume the user&#39;s points. A network game system ( 10 ) updates the point information stored in the database ( 20 ) in association with the user ID of the user in the game server ( 16 ) based on the point information stored in the database ( 18 ) in association with the user ID of the user in a portal site server ( 14 ).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a network service system, a networkgame system, a point transfer system, a point management device, and apoint management method. For example, the present invention relates to atechnique for updating point information stored in relation to oneservice based on point information stored in relation to anotherservice.

BACKGROUND ART

Services such as merchandise sales and games are provided increasinglythrough communication networks. Some of these services allow users toaccumulate points earned by using the service, and gain variousprivileges based on the accumulated points.

Conventionally, the points a user has accumulated in one service cannotbe used in another service. However, if a system for transferring thepoints is implemented so that the points accumulated in one service canbe used in other services, users will be interested in the “other”services, and the business is expected to grow.

The present invention is conceived in view of the above, and an objectthereof is to provide a system allowing points related to one service tobe transferred to points related to another service.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a system allowingsafe transfer of points related to one service to points related toanother service.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the above-described problems, a network service systemaccording to one aspect of the present invention is a network servicesystem for providing a user with first and second services, comprising afirst server for providing the first service, a first database connectedto the first server for storing point information in association withuser identifying information related to the user in the first server, asecond server for providing the second service, and a second databaseconnected to the second server for storing point information inassociation with user identifying information related to the user in thesecond server, wherein the first server includes point offering meansfor updating the point information stored in the first database inassociation with the user identifying information related to the user soas to offer points to the user, the second server includes pointconsuming means for updating the point information stored in the seconddatabase in association with the user identifying information related tothe user so as to consume the point of the user when the second serviceis provided to the user, and the network service system furthercomprises point transferring means for updating the point informationstored in the second database in association with the user identifyinginformation related to the user in the second server based on the pointinformation stored in the first database in association with the useridentifying information related to the user in the first server.

According to the present invention, a first service is provided by afirst server, and a second service is provided by a second server. Theseservices include a service for allowing a user to play a game or topurchase a product. The user receives the first and second servicesprovided by the first and second servers.

The first server may provide the service to other users, i.e. users whowish to receive only the first service, not the second service.Similarly, the second server may provide the service to other users,i.e. users who wish to receive only the second service, not the firstservice.

A first database is connected to the first server while a seconddatabase is connected to the second server. In the first database, pointinformation is stored in association with user identifying informationrelated to the user in the first server, i.e. the user receiving both ofthe first and second services. In the second database, point informationis stored in association with user identifying information related tothe user in the second server, i.e. the user receiving both of the firstand second services. The point information is numerical information orthe like indicating, for example, the balance of points (including thosecalled by other names such as a “coin” and a “medal”).

The first server updates the point information stored in the firstdatabase in association with the user identifying information related tothe user to give points to the user. When the second service is providedto the user, the second server updates the point information stored inthe second database in association with the user identifying informationrelated to the user to consume the points of the user. In response to,for example, a request from the user, or with predetermined timing, thissystem updates the point information stored in the second database inassociation with the user identifying information related to the user inthe second server based on the point information stored in the firstdatabase in association with the user identifying information related tothe user in the first server, and transfers the point in the firstdatabase to the second database.

Thus, the point related to the first service and stored in the firstserver can be transferred to the second database related to the secondservice, thereby stirring up the interest of the user of one service inthe other service.

According to one embodiment, the present invention further comprisescharge amount calculating means for calculating an amount of money to bepaid from a person involved in the first server to a person involved inthe second server. This makes it possible for the person involved in thefirst server to know the amount of money to be paid to the personinvolved in the second server in compensation for cooperation inbusiness or the like. The person involved includes a serveradministrator, a service provider, and the like.

In this embodiment, the charge amount calculating means includes meansfor counting the number of users, and may calculate the amount based onthe number of users. The number of users, i.e. the number of usersreceiving both of the first and second services, is related to thedegree of cooperation between the persons involved in the first andsecond servers, and therefore the amount can be reasonably calculatedbased thereon. The amount may be calculated based on the content storedin the first database, such as cumulative earned points corresponding tothe point information stored in the first database. Alternatively, theamount may be calculated based on the number of times access of apredetermined type (such as a point inquiry request and a point transferrequest) is made from the second server to the first server.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the pointtransferring means includes secret identification information updatingmeans provided in the first server for updating secret identificationinformation stored in the first database in association with the pointinformation when the point information stored in the first database isupdated, point inquiry request receiving means provided in the firstserver for receiving a point inquiry request from the second server,point information and secret identification information returning meansprovided in the first server for returning the point information and thesecret identification information stored in the first database when thepoint inquiry request is received by the point inquiry request receivingmeans, point transfer request receiving means provided in the firstserver for receiving a point transfer request including secretidentification information from the second server, first pointtransferring means provided in the first server for updating the pointinformation stored in the first database to decrease a point balance andreturning point transfer allowance data to the second server when thesecret identification information included in the point transfer requestreceived by the point transfer request receiving means matches thesecret identification information stored in the first database, andsecond point transferring means provided in the second server forupdating the point information stored in the second database to increasea point balance when the point transfer allowance data is returned bythe first point transferring means.

In this embodiment, secret identification information is updated whenpoint information stored in a first database is updated in a firstserver. As a result, even though the secret identification informationis received in response to a point inquiry request and this informationincluded in a point transfer request is returned by the second server tothe first server, the secret identification information included in thepoint transfer request does not match the point information stored inthe first database if the point information stored in the first databaseis updated between the time the first server transmits the secretidentification information and the time the point transfer request isreceived, whereby point transfer allowance data is not returned to thesecond server. Thus, point transfer is more securely performed in thisembodiment.

The point transfer system according to another aspect of the presentinvention is a point transfer system including first and seconddatabases, each storing point information. The system comprises pointinformation updating means for updating the point information stored inthe first database, secret identification information updating means forupdating secret identification information stored in the first databasein association with the point information when the point informationstored in the first database is updated by the point informationupdating means, point inquiry request receiving means for receiving apoint inquiry request, point information and secret identificationinformation returning means for returning the point information and thesecret identification information stored in the first database when thepoint inquiry request is received by the point inquiry request receivingmeans, point transfer request receiving means for receiving a pointtransfer request including secret identification information, firstpoint transferring means for updating the point information stored inthe first database to decrease a point balance and returning pointtransfer allowance data when the secret identification informationincluded in the point transfer request received by the point transferrequest receiving means matches the secret identification informationstored in the first database, and second point transferring means forupdating the point information stored in the second database to increasea point balance when the point transfer allowance data is returned bythe first point transferring means. Thus, the points can be securelytransferred. The secret identification information updating means mayupdate the secret identification information based on, for example, arandom number.

The point management device according to a further aspect of the presentinvention comprises point information updating means for updating pointinformation stored in a database, secret identification informationupdating means for updating secret identification information stored inthe database in association with the point information when the pointinformation stored in the database is updated by the point informationupdating means, point inquiry request receiving means for receiving apoint inquiry request, point information and secret identificationinformation returning means for returning the secret identificationinformation and the point information stored in the database when thepoint inquiry request is received by the point inquiry request receivingmeans, point transfer request receiving means for receiving a pointtransfer request including secret identification information, and pointtransferring means for updating the point information stored in thedatabase to decrease a point balance and returning point transferallowance data when the secret identification information included inthe point transfer request received by the point transfer requestreceiving means matches the secret identification information stored inthe database.

The point management method according to a further aspect of the presentinvention comprises a point information updating step for updating pointinformation stored in a database, a secret identification informationupdating step for updating secret identification information stored inthe database in association with the point information when the pointinformation stored in the database is updated at the point informationupdating step, a point inquiry request receiving step for receiving apoint inquiry request, a point information and secret identificationinformation returning step for returning the secret identificationinformation and the point information stored in the database when thepoint inquiry request is received at the point inquiry request receivingstep, a point transfer request receiving step for receiving a pointtransfer request including secret identification information, and apoint transferring step for updating the point information stored in thedatabase to decrease a point balance and returning point transferallowance data when the secret identification information included inthe point transfer request received at the point transfer requestreceiving step matches the secret identification information stored inthe database. Thus, the points can be securely transferred.

The network game system according to a further aspect of the presentinvention comprises a first game server, a first database connected tothe first game server for storing point information related to a gameand secret identification information, a second game server, and asecond database connected to the second game server for storing pointinformation related to a game, wherein the first game server includespoint information updating means for updating the point informationstored in the first database, secret identification information updatingmeans for updating the secret identification information stored in thefirst database in association with the point information when the pointinformation stored in the first database is updated by the pointinformation updating means, point inquiry request receiving means forreceiving a point inquiry request from the second game server, pointinformation and secret identification information returning means forreturning the secret identification information and the pointinformation stored in the first database when the point inquiry requestis received by the point inquiry request receiving means, point transferrequest receiving means for receiving a point transfer request includingsecret identification information from the second game server, and firstpoint transferring means for updating the point information stored inthe first database to decrease a point balance and returning pointtransfer allowance data to the second game server when the secretidentification information included in the point transfer requestreceived by the point transfer request receiving means matches thesecret identification information stored in the first database, and thesecond game server includes second point transferring means for updatingthe point information stored in the second database to increase a pointbalance when the point transfer allowance data is returned from thesecond game server by the first point transferring means.

Thus, the points can be securely transferred from the first database tothe second database in the network game system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an overall configuration of a game systemaccording to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an example of a service menu screenprovided by a portal site server.

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating an example of an ID and password entryscreen provided by the portal site server.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating an example of a service menu screenprovided by a game server.

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating an example of a point balance confirmationscreen provided by the game server.

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating an example of a transfer complete screenprovided by the game server.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating an example of a transfer failure screenprovided by the game server.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating an example of a transfer point entryscreen provided by the game server.

FIG. 9 is a view illustrating an example of a point database included ina database connected to the portal site server.

FIG. 10 is a view illustrating an example of an ID matching table storedin the database connected to the portal site server.

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating an example of the point database includedin the database connected to the game server.

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating a configuration of functions of theportal site.

FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a configuration of functions of a gamesite.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a point updating process performed by theportal site server.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a point reading process performed by the gamesite server.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of a point reading process performed by theportal site server.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of a point transfer process performed by the gamesite server.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of a point transfer process performed by theportal site server.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be describedin detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an overall configuration of a network gamesystem (network service system) according to an embodiment of thepresent invention. Referring to FIG. 1, in a network game system 10, aportal site server 14, a game server 16, a personal computer 22, and amobile phone base station 26 are directly or indirectly connected to adata communication network 12 such as the Internet.

The portal site server 14 includes a known server computer system, andprovides a mobile phone 24 and the personal computer 22 with games andother network services. The portal site server 14 is connected to adatabase 18 formed by a known hard disk memory device, and a pointdatabase (see FIG. 9) and an ID matching table (see FIG. 10) included inthe database 18 can be accessed from the portal site server 14.

The game server 16 also includes a known server computer system toprovide the mobile phone 24 and the personal computer with games andother network services. The game server 16 is connected to a database 20formed by a known hard disk memory device, and a point database (seeFIG. 11) included in the database 20 can be accessed from the gameserver 16.

The personal computer 22 includes a known personal computer systemconfigured to access the game server 16 through the communicationnetwork 12 to receive various image data and game programs using HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and thelike.

The mobile phone 24 includes an input unit (such as dial buttons) and adisplay unit (such as a liquid crystal display device), and isespecially provided with a data communication function in addition to aconversation function. The phone 24 can also access to the portal siteserver 14 through the mobile phone base station 26 and the communicationnetwork 12 to receive various image data and game programs using HTTP,its own protocol, and the like.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a service menu presented on the display unitof the mobile phone 24 when accessing the portal site server 14 from thephone. As shown, the portal site server 14 provides its original service(“Original Game Section”), and services (“Site A Section”, and “Site BSection”) aiming affiliation with other sites (such as the game server16). When the game service (hereinafter referred to as an “affiliategame”) aiming affiliation with another site (hereinafter referred to asan “affiliate site”) such as “Site A Section” is selected from the menuwith the mobile phone 24, an ID and password entry screen shown in FIG.3 is returned to the portal site server 14. When a user enters the IDand password registered for the user in the affiliate site, the user isallowed to play a communication game using a CGI (common gatewayinterface) or download a game program, and accumulate points in thedatabase 18 in accordance with the result of the game. The portal siteserver 14 desirably interrogates the game server 16 or the like, uponreception of the ID and the password entered on the ID and passwordentry screen in FIG. 3, as to whether or not the entered information iscorrect.

The network game system 10 is designed to allow a user to play a game inthe portal site server 14, accumulate points, and use the points in thegame server 16. More specifically, a user who has played a game with themobile phone 24 can later access the game server 16 from the personalcomputer 22 at home or the like, and transfer the points accumulated inthe database 18 to the database 20 connected to the game server 16.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a service menu presented on a displayprovided for the personal computer 22 when accessing the game server 16from the computer 22. As illustrated on the menu, the services providedby the game server 16 include, in addition to a service allowing a userto play its original games (“Original Game Section”), a service fortransferring the points accumulated by the user in the portal siteserver 14 (“Point Transfer Section”) The user can play the original gameprovided by the game server 16 using the points they accumulated in thegame server 16 or the portal site server 14.

FIG. 5 shows an example of a point balance confirmation screen presentedon the display of the personal computer 22 when the user selects “PointTransfer Section” on the menu of FIG. 4. As illustrated in FIG. 5, whenthe user selects “Point Transfer Section”, the balance of points he/sheaccumulated in the portal site server 14, and a link button used forchoosing whether or not to transfer the point to the game server 16 arepresented on the display of the personal computer 22. When the userwishes point transfer and selects the “Yes” button, the user's pointsstored in the database 18 are reduced to zero, and that points are addedto the user's points stored in the database 20. When the user does notwish point transfer and selects the “No” button, the menu screen of, forexample, FIG. 4 is displayed again.

More specifically, for point transfer, the game server 16 sends a pointtransfer request to the portal site server 14. The portal site server 14judges as to whether or not the points can be transferred. If the pointtransfer is approved, the server 14 reduces the point balance of theuser to zero, and returns point transfer allowance data (data indicatingthat point transfer is allowed) to the game server 16. On the otherhand, if the point transfer is not allowed, the server 14 returns pointtransfer rejection data (data indicating that point transfer isrejected) to the game server 16. Receiving the point transfer allowancedata from the portal site server 14, the game server 16 adds the pointbalance stored in the database 18 to the point balance stored in thedatabase 20 to update the point balance. The server 16 then transmits atransfer complete screen shown in FIG. 6 to the personal computer 22. Onthe other hand, if the point transfer rejection data is received fromthe portal site server 14, the server 16 transmits a transfer failurescreen shown in FIG. 7 to the personal computer 22.

While all the points in the balance the user has accumulated in thedatabase 18 are transferred to the database 20 in this example when theuser selects the “Yes” button on the point balance confirmation screenshown in FIG. 5, a transfer point entry screen shown in FIG. 8 may bereturned from the game server 16 when the “Yes” button is selected onthe screen of FIG. 5, so that the user can specify the point to betransferred.

The contents stored in the databases 18 and 20 will next be described.

FIG. 9 illustrates a data configuration of a point database included inthe database 18. As illustrated, the point database stores, inassociation with one another, a user ID of each user in the portal siteserver 14, an ID of the affiliate site where the user has played anaffiliate game (game site ID), the balance of points the user hasaccumulated through the affiliate game, and a personal identificationkey (secret identification information) corresponding to the pointbalance. When the user enters an ID and a password on the ID andpassword entry screen shown in FIG. 3, and the entered ID and passwordare authorized, the portal site server 14 generates a new recordincluding a user ID, a game site ID corresponding to the entry screen,the point balance of zero, and a personal identification key based on arandom number, and registers the record in the point database. When theuser plays an affiliate game, the corresponding point balance andpersonal identification key are updated based on the result.

FIG. 10 shows a data configuration of an ID matching table included inthe database 18. As illustrated, the ID matching table stores, in acorrelated manner, a user ID (e.g. “Z001”) of each user in the portalsite server 14, and a set of an ID (e.g. “Z01) of another site (e.g. thegame server 16) and a user ID (e.g. “A087”) in that site. When the userenters an ID and a password on the ID and password entry screen shown inFIG. 3, and the entered ID and password are authorized, a set of thegame site ID corresponding to the entry screen and the user ID enteredon the entry screen are additionally registered to the set of the siteID and user ID corresponding to the user ID in the portal site server 14for that user. The portal site server 14 can obtain information throughthis table as to which user ID is assigned in a site to a user assignedwith a certain ID in another site (such as the portal site server 14 andthe game server 16).

FIG. 11 shows a data configuration of a point database included in thedatabase 20. Referring to FIG. 11, the point database stores, in acorrelated manner, a user ID assigned to a user in the game server 16connected to the database 20, and the balance of points the user hasaccumulated. When a game is provided to a user, the game server 16withdraws the point required for playing the game from the point balancecorresponding to the user, and updates the point database.

Configurations of functions of the portal site server 14 and the gameserver 16 will be next described.

FIG. 12 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of functionsperformed by the portal site server 14. FIG. 12 illustrates especiallythe functions related to the present invention among those achieved bythe portal site server 14. As shown, the functions achieved by theportal site server 14 include a point updating unit 14 a, a pointreading unit 14 b, a point transferring unit 14 c, a charge calculatingunit 14 d, and a storage unit 18 a. The point updating unit 14 a, thepoint reading unit 14 b, the point transferring unit 14 c, and thecharge calculating unit 14 d are implemented by the portal site server14 performing a program such as a CGI program.

The storage unit 18 a includes the database 18, and stores the pointdatabase and the ID matching table described above.

The point updating unit 14 a is a function of providing a game whenaccessed by a user from the mobile phone 24 or the like, giving pointsto the user in accordance with the result of the play (such as the scoreand play time), and updating the point balance stored in the pointdatabase included in the storage unit 18 a in association with the userID of the user and the game site ID corresponding to the game. The pointupdating unit 14 a also updates the personal identification keycorresponding to the point balance based on a random number when thepoint balance is updated.

Receiving a point balance inquiry request from the game server 16, thepoint reading unit 14 b reads out the point balance and the personalidentification key stored in the point database included in the storageunit 18 a in association with the user ID included in the point balanceinquiry request, and returns the readout data to the game server 16.

Receiving a point transfer request including a set of the site ID andthe user ID and the personal identification key from the game server 16,the point transferring unit 14 c checks the user ID in the portal siteserver 14 corresponding to the set of the site ID and the user ID, andcompares the personal identification key stored in the point databaseincluded in the storage unit 18 a in association with the user ID andthe personal identification key included in the point transfer request.If the two keys match, the point balance corresponding to theidentification key is updated to zero, and point transfer allowance datais returned. If the two keys do not match, point transfer rejection datais returned.

The charge calculating unit 14 d is a function of calculating the chargeto be paid by those involved in the portal site server 14 (such asadministrators and providers of the service) to those involved in eachgame server 16 (such as administrators and providers of the service).The charge calculating unit 14 d calculates the charge to be paid basedon, for example, the number of records for each game site ID stored inthe “game site ID” column, i.e. the number of users of the affiliategames, in the point database included in the storage unit 18 a. Thecharge may be calculated based on the value of accumulated pointscorresponding to each game site ID earned by the user. Further, thecharge may be calculated based on the number of times the point balanceinquiry request or the point transfer request is transmitted from eachgame server 16 to the portal site server 14.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of functions ofthe game server 16. The figure shows especially the functions related tothe present invention among those implemented by the game server 16. Asillustrated, the functions implemented by the game server 16 include agame providing unit 16 a, a point reading unit 16 b, a pointtransferring unit 16 c, and a storage unit 20 a. The game providing unit16 a, the point reading unit 16 b, and the point transferring unit 16 care implemented by the game server 16 performing a program such as a CGIprogram.

The storage unit 20 a includes the database 20, and stores theabove-described point database.

The game providing unit 16 a provides a user of the game server 16 witha game, or allows the user to download a game program using CGI. When agame service is provided to a user, the game providing unit 16 a updatesthe point database included in the storage unit 20 a by decreasing thepoint balance for the user in accordance with, for example, the contentsof the play and the number of times the game is downloaded.

The point reading unit 16 b is the function of, when a point balanceinquiry request is transmitted from the personal computer 22 by a user,making an inquiry to the portal site server 14 about the point balancecorresponding to the user and the game server 16, and returning theresult included in a point balance display screen (FIG. 5).

The point transferring unit 16 c is the function of requesting theportal site server 14 to transfer points corresponding to a user sendinga point transfer request from the personal computer 22 and the gameserver 16, and updating the point database included in the storage unit20 a and returning a transfer complete screen if the transfer isallowed, or returning a transfer failure screen when the transfer is notallowed.

The processes performed by the portal site server 14 and the game server16 will be described further in detail with reference to the flowcharts.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of a point updating process performed by thepoint updating unit 14 a implemented in the portal site server 14.According to the process shown in FIG. 14, the earned points, or basicinformation thereof, in accordance with the contents of the play (suchas the number of play times and game scores) in the affiliate game andthe number of times the game program is downloaded, the user ID assignedto the user in the portal site server 14 (the user ID within the portalsite; hereinafter referred to as the “portal site user ID”), and thegame site ID corresponding to that affiliate game are first receivedfrom the mobile phone 24 (S101) A random number is then generated(S102). A personal identification key is generated based on the randomnumber, and written over the personal identification key stored in thepoint database corresponding to the portal site user ID and the gamesite ID received at the step S101, thereby updating the personalidentification key (S103) Further, the earned point received at the stepS101 (the earned point generated based on the basic information if thebasic information is received) is added to the point balance stored inthe point database in association with the portal site user ID and thegame site ID received at the step S101, thereby updating the pointbalance (S104). Thus, the portal site server 14 updates the personalidentification key corresponding to the point balance based on therandom number when the point balance is updated.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of a point reading process performed by the pointreading unit 16 b implemented in the game server 16. The process shownin FIG. 15 is performed when, for example, a user selects “PointTransfer Section” on the menu illustrated in FIG. 4. In this process, auser ID in the game site 16, i.e. a game site user ID, is first acquiredfrom the personal computer 22 (S201). For example, when the user IDalready authorized is designed to be transmitted in the form of a cookieor the like to the game site 16 from the personal computer 22 uponuser's selection of “Point Transfer Section” on the menu illustrated inFIG. 4, the point reading unit 16 b is designed to acquire the user IDat the step S201. A point balance inquiry request including the gamesite user ID and the game site ID identifying the game server 16 istransmitted to the portal site server 14 (S202). The point balance andthe personal identification key transmitted from the portal site server14 in response to the request are received (S203). HTML (hypertextmarkup language) data (see FIG. 5) for presenting the point balance onthe display of the personal computer 22 is returned (S204). Upon thistransmission, a URL (uniform resource locator) of the game server 16 isassociated with the “YES” button shown at the bottom of the screen, andthe point balance and the identification key are set as arguments. It isdesirable for data such as the point balance and the identification keyis encrypted to be exchanged between the game server 16 and the portalsite server 14.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a point reading process performed by thepoint reading unit 14 b implemented in the portal site server 14. Theprocess shown in FIG. 16 is performed when a point balance inquiryrequest is transmitted from the point reading unit 16 b implemented inthe game server 16. This process begins with acquisition of the gamesite user ID and the game site ID included in the point balance inquiryrequest received from the game server 16 (S301). Next, referring to theID matching table included in the storage unit 18 a, the portal siteuser ID corresponding to the set of the game site user ID and the gamesite ID acquired at the step S301 is read out (S302). The point balanceand the personal identification key stored in association with theportal site user ID read at the step S302 and the game site ID acquiredat the step S301 in the point database included in the storage unit 18 aare read out (S303). The point balance and the personal identificationkey are returned to the game server 16 (S304).

Thus, the game server 16 transmits the point balance inquiry requestspecifying the user to the portal site server 14, and receives the pointbalance and the personal identification key corresponding to the userand the game server 16.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart of a point transfer process performed by thepoint transferring unit 16 c implemented in the game server 16. Theprocess illustrated in this figure is performed when a user selects the“YES” button on the point balance confirmation screen transmitted to thepersonal computer 22 from the game server 16 and wishes the pointtransfer. The process starts with reception of the game site user ID,the personal identification key, and the point balance from the personalcomputer 22 (S401). As described above, the “YES” button displayed atthe bottom of the point balance confirmation screen is associated withthe URL of the game server 16, and the point balance and the personalidentification key are set as the arguments, so that the point balanceand the personal identification key can be acquired at the game server16 by referring to the arguments of the URL received from the personalcomputer 22. The game site user ID may be acquired, for example, in theform of a cookie. Note that data may be exchanged in any form other thanthose described above between the personal computer 22 and the gameserver 16.

The game server 16 then transmits a point transfer request including thegame site user ID and the personal identification key acquired at thestep S401 to the portal site server 14, and the game site ID of the gameserver 16 (S402), and determines whether or not the point can betransferred based on whether or not the point transfer allowance data isreceived (S403). If the point transfer allowance data is received fromthe portal site server 14, the point balance acquired at the step S401is added to the point balance stored in the point database included inthe storage unit 20 a in association with the game site user ID acquiredat the step S401 (S404), and the point transfer complete screen isreturned to the personal computer 22 (S405). On the other hand, if thepoint transfer allowance data is not received from the portal siteserver 14, i.e. the point transfer rejection data is received, atransfer failure screen is returned to the personal computer 22 (S406).The point balance is not updated in this case.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart of a point transfer process performed by thepoint transferring unit 14 c implemented in the portal site server 14.The process shown in this figure is performed when the point transferrequest is transmitted from the point transferring unit 16 c implementedin the game server 16. In the beginning of the process, the game siteuser ID, the game site ID, and the personal identification key arereceived from the game server 16 (S501). By referring to the ID matchingtable included in the storage unit 18 c, the portal site user IDcorresponding to the set of the game site user ID and the game site IDreceived at the step S501 is read out (S502). Further, by referring tothe point database included in the storage unit 18 c, determination ismade as to whether or not the personal identification key received atthe step S501 matches the personal identification key stored in thepoint database in association with the portal site user ID read out atthe step S502 and the game site ID received at the step S501 (S503). Ifthe two keys match, the point balance stored in the point database inassociation with the portal site user ID read out at the step S502 andthe game site ID received at the step S501 is updated to zero (S504),and the point transfer allowance data is returned to the game server 16(S505). If the two keys do not match, the point balance is not updated,and the point transfer rejection data is returned to the game server 16(S506).

As described above, according to the present network game system 10, thepoint related to the service provided by the portal site server 14 canbe transferred to the point related to the service provided by each gameserver 16. For such transfer, when the point balance corresponding tothe user and the site is updated, the personal identification keycorresponding to the point balance is also updated in the portal siteserver 14. Further, the point balance and the personal identificationkey are returned in response to the point balance inquiry request fromthe game server 16, which is designed to transmit the point transferrequest including the personal identification key. If the personalidentification key matches the personal identification key stored in thedatabase, the point transfer allowance data is returned. As a result,the point cannot be transferred unless the latest point balance isinquired and the point transfer request is made before the point balanceis updated. The point transfer can thus be safely performed.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment.For example, while the service provided by the portal site server 14 isreceived by the mobile phone 24 and the service provided by the gameserver 16 is received by the personal computer 22 in the abovedescription, the service provided by the portal site server 14 can bereceived by the personal computer 22 or other terminals such as personaldigital assistants, home-use game machines, and handheld game machines.Similarly, the service provided by the game server 16 can be received bythe mobile phone 24 or other terminals such as personal digitalassistants, home-use game machines, and handheld game machines.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention is applicable to a network computer system so asto implement a system for transferring points related to one service topoints related to another service.

1. A network service system for providing a user with first and secondservices, comprising: a first server for providing the first service; afirst database connected to the first server for storing pointinformation in association with user identifying information related tothe user in the first server; a second server for providing the secondservice; and a second database connected to the second server forstoring point information in association with user identifyinginformation related to the user in the second server; wherein the firstserver includes point offering means for updating the point informationstored in the first database in association with the user identifyinginformation related to the user so as to offer points to the user, thesecond server includes point consuming means for updating the pointinformation stored in the second database in association with the useridentifying information related to the user so as to consume the pointof the user when the second service is provided to the user, and thenetwork service system further comprises point transferring means forupdating the point information stored in the second database inassociation with the user identifying information related to the user inthe second server based on the point information stored in the firstdatabase in association with the user identifying information related tothe user in the first server.
 2. A network service system according toclaim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second services is aservice for allowing the user to play a game.
 3. A network servicesystem according to any one of claims 1 or 2, further comprising chargeamount calculating means for calculating an amount of money to be paidfrom a person involved in the first server to a person involved in thesecond server.
 4. A network service system according to claim 3, whereinthe charge amount calculating means includes means for counting thenumber of users, and calculates the amount based on the number of users.5. A network service system according to any one of claims 3 or 4,wherein the charge amount calculating means calculates the amount basedon the content stored in the first database.
 6. A network service systemaccording to any one of claims 3-5, wherein the charge amountcalculating means calculates the amount based on the number of timesaccess of a predetermined type is made from the second server to thefirst server.
 7. A network service system according to any one of claims1-6, wherein the point transferring means includes: secretidentification information updating means provided in the first serverfor updating secret identification information stored in the firstdatabase in association with the point information when the pointinformation stored in the first database is updated, point inquiryrequest receiving means provided in the first server for receiving apoint inquiry request from the second server, point information andsecret identification information returning means provided in the firstserver for returning the point information and the secret identificationinformation stored in the first database when the point inquiry requestis received by the point inquiry request receiving means, point transferrequest receiving means provided in the first server for receiving apoint transfer request including secret identification information fromthe second server, first point transferring means provided in the firstserver for updating the point information stored in the first databaseto decrease a point balance and returning point transfer allowance datato the second server when the secret identification information includedin the point transfer request received by the point transfer requestreceiving means matches the secret identification information stored inthe first database, and second point transferring means provided in thesecond server for updating the point information stored in the seconddatabase to increase a point balance when the point transfer allowancedata is returned from the first server by the first point transferringmeans.
 8. A point transfer system including first and second databases,each storing point information, comprising: point information updatingmeans for updating the point information stored in the first database;secret identification information updating means for updating secretidentification information stored in the first database in associationwith the point information when the point information stored in thefirst database is updated by the point information updating means; pointinquiry request receiving means for receiving a point inquiry request;point information and secret identification information returning meansfor returning the point information and the secret identificationinformation stored in the first database when the point inquiry requestis received by the point inquiry request receiving means; point transferrequest receiving means for receiving a point transfer request includingsecret identification information; first point transferring means forupdating the point information stored in the first database to decreasea point balance and returning point transfer allowance data when thesecret identification information included in the point transfer requestreceived by the point transfer request receiving means matches thesecret identification information stored in the first database; andsecond point transferring means for updating the point informationstored in the second database to increase a point balance when the pointtransfer allowance data is returned by the first point transferringmeans.
 9. A point transfer system according to claim 8, wherein thesecret identification information updating means updates the secretidentification information based on a random number.
 10. A pointmanagement device, comprising: point information updating means forupdating point information stored in a database; secret identificationinformation updating means for updating secret identificationinformation stored in the database in association with the pointinformation when the point information stored in the database is updatedby the point information updating means; point inquiry request receivingmeans for receiving a point inquiry request; point information andsecret identification information returning means for returning thesecret identification information and the point information stored inthe database when the point inquiry request is received by the pointinquiry request receiving means; point transfer request receiving meansfor receiving a point transfer request including secret identificationinformation; and point transferring means for updating the pointinformation stored in the database to decrease a point balance andreturning point transfer allowance data when the secret identificationinformation included in the point transfer request received by the pointtransfer request receiving means matches the secret identificationinformation stored in the database.
 11. A point management method,comprising: a point information updating step for updating pointinformation stored in a database; a secret identification informationupdating step for updating secret identification information stored inthe database in association with the point information when the pointinformation stored in the database is updated at the point informationupdating step; a point inquiry request receiving step for receiving apoint inquiry request; a point information and secret identificationinformation returning step for returning the secret identificationinformation and the point information stored in the database when thepoint inquiry request is received at the point inquiry request receivingstep; a point transfer request receiving step for receiving a pointtransfer request including secret identification information; and apoint transferring step for updating the point information stored in thedatabase to decrease a point balance and returning point transferallowance data when the secret identification information included inthe point transfer request received at the point transfer requestreceiving step matches the secret identification information stored inthe database.
 12. A network game system, comprising: a first gameserver; a first database connected to the first game server for storingpoint information related to a game and secret identificationinformation; a second game server; and a second database connected tothe second game server for storing point information related to a game;wherein the first game server includes point information updating meansfor updating the point information stored in the first database, secretidentification information updating means for updating the secretidentification information stored in the first database in associationwith the point information when the point information stored in thefirst database is updated by the point information updating means, pointinquiry request receiving means for receiving a point inquiry requestfrom the second game server, point information and secret identificationinformation returning means for returning the secret identificationinformation and the point information stored in the first database whenthe point inquiry request is received by the point inquiry requestreceiving means, point transfer request receiving means for receiving apoint transfer request including secret identification information fromthe second game server, and first point transferring means for updatingthe point information stored in the first database to decrease a pointbalance and returning point transfer allowance data to the second gameserver when the secret identification information included in the pointtransfer request received by the point transfer request receiving meansmatches the secret identification information stored in the firstdatabase, and the second game server includes second point transferringmeans for updating the point information stored in the second databaseto increase a point balance when the point transfer allowance data isreturned from the second game server by the first point transferringmeans.